Diatoms in Action!

Why are diatoms important?

Diatoms are responsible for creating some of the most important resources that we use every day.

Because there are so many diatoms in the ocean, and because they photosynthesize so much, diatoms create a lot of oxygen. In fact, diatoms create approximately 1/3 of all the oxygen we breathe!

Additionally, many diatom species create oil inside their cells in order to help them float. If bigger species eat these diatoms, they can store that oil for themselves. In fact, much of the oil found in fish and whales originally came from diatoms and moved up the food chain. If you've ever taken fish oil, you likely were eating diatom oil!

If those diatoms are not eaten, on the other hand, that oil sinks to the bottom when the diatom dies. Over millions of years, huge deposits of oil from dead diatoms have created many of the rich crude oil deposits that we use today to drive our cars.

In addition to the byproducts that diatoms produce, their glass shells themselves are used all the time. Just like how huge deposits of dead diatoms can collect oil, their glass shells also accumulate over hundreds of millions of years. In many places where ancient oceans used to be, there are now massive deposits of fossilized diatoms: we call this "diatomaceous earth." Diatomaceous earth has a very high glass content and has a fine pore structure, which makes it a great substance to use as a scrubbing abrasive or as a water filter. It's even used in some face scrubs and toothpastes!

Diatoms can be incredibly abundant- up to 4,000 per cubic centimeter, an area about the size of a pea! When you think about how many diatoms that could be in the ocean, it's no wonder that they can produce so much oxygen.

Diatoms of the genus Amphora, like the one pictured here, are known for producing an overabundance of oils: sometimes they make so much it leaks out of their cells. Some researchers are studying ways to "milk" these species to extract a totally renewable form of oil.

For more on diatomaceous earth and how this ancient ocean diatom got into a freshwater lake, read about it here!